Jaimes pitches Indians to win

YAKIMA – Jose Jaimes pitched five innings of one-hit ball Thursday night as the Spokane Indians opened a three-game series with a 4-1 victory over the Yakima Bears at County Stadium.

The outcome left Spokane 4-7 in the Northwest League while the Bears dropped to 2-9. The Indians, one game behind first-place Tri-City in the East Division, have won four of their last six.

Indians shortstop Thomas Berkery went 3 for 3 with two runs batted in – a sacrifice fly in the first inning and an RBI single to right in the fifth.

Jaimes (2-1) struck out a Spokane season-high eight and walked two while lowering his earned run average to 2.08. The fourth-year professional allowed Cyle Hankerd’s two-out single in the first and never allowed a runner beyond second base.

Brennan Garr worked the sixth and seventh, allowing Yakima’s run; Patrick Donovan (Gonzaga University/North Central High) pitched a scoreless eighth; and Brett Zamzow earned his second save with a perfect ninth.

The Indians struck for nine hits and four earned runs against Bears starter Cesar Valdez (0-3).

Grant Gerrard walked to lead off the game, moved to second on a passed ball, took third on Chris Kemp’s single and scored on Berkery’s fly to center.

Gerrard also started Spokane’s offense in the fifth with a double to right. Kemp, Berkery and Wally Backman had one-out, RBI singles during the inning for a 4-0 advantage.

Edwin Roman, the first batter to face Garr, tripled in the sixth and scored on Travis Tully’s sacrifice fly.

The series continues at 7 tonight. Spokane will start Michael Ballard (0-1, 6.43).